Oil exploration game



Sept. 14, 1965 OIL EXPLORATION GAME Filed Feb. 25, 1964 H. KOPLlN 3,206,211

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HARRY KOPLIIU BY 5 H. {M

Sept. 14, 1965 H. KOPLIN 3,206,211

OIL EXPLORATION GAME Filed Feb. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

KOPLI V M mg 201 5L2; J 1 4 HTTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,296,211 OIL EXPLORATION GAME Harry Koplin, 1785 Broad Causeway, North Miami, Fla. Filed Feb. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 347,228 10 Claims. (Cl. 273-139) This invention relates to games and is directed particularly to a game simulating the prospecting and drilling for oil.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an amusing and instructional game including a land area or prospect divided into a multiplicity of parcels or leases, a drilling rig movable, selectively, over any of the leases for drilling to a particular dept-h thereat, and means for indicating whether or not oil, gas or water was reached by the drill tip at the completion of a drilling operation.

A more particular object is to provide an oil exploration game of the character above described wherein the land area or prospect over which the drilling rig is movable is box-like in structure, and includes means for interiorly locating quantities of differently-colored semi-solid materials at various distances, selectively, below the top surface of the land area or prospect and in vertical alignment with various ones, mlectively, of the leases and reachable by the rig drill, whereby it an oil strike is made, the material of a particular color, for example black, will be found on the drill tip when removed after a drilling operation, whereby it gas is reached, a small amount of material of a diiterent color, for example yellow, will be found on the drill, and whereby it salt water is reached, material of still another color, for example white, will be found on the drill, whereas if nothing is reached by the drill, the result is a dry hole, thereby simulating, to a great extent, the various possibilities of wildcat drilling.

Still another object is to provide an oil exploration game of the above nature which lends itself well to instructing the ordinary player as to the rudiments of oil exploration and drilling, and the geophysical nature of the subsoil in which petroleum is likely to be found.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a game which, in addition to being instructional, will be highly entertaining to children and adults alike.

Still another object is to provide a game of the above nature which will be simple in structure, easy to operate, compact and attractive in appearance, inexpensive to manufacture and durable in use.

Other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, with portions broken away, of an oil exploration game embodying the invention, showing the drilling rig in drilling position at a preselected lease location;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the lease area or prospect shown separately, and illustrating its subdivision into individual leases;

FIG. 3 is a top view of one of the material carriers;

FIG. 4 is .a bottom view of the drilling rig;

FIG. 5 is a partial elevational view of the drilling rig illustrating details of the manually-operated drill drive mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the drill back-up and drive rollers comprising the drive mechanism;

FIG. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the drilling rig, taken along the lines 77 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows, illustrating the adjustable drill collar for controlling drilling depth; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating a modification of the drilling rig for motorized drill drive.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, 10 designates a supporting structure for the simulated land area or prospect, and 11 designates the drilling rig placeable for drilling upon the simulated land surface thereof at any one of a plurality of lease positions, as is herein'below more particularly described.

The supporting structure 10 comprises a substantially rectangular box-like member 12, made of heavy paperboard or the like, open at the top and provided with a removable cover 13 having a short peripheral skirt 14 which nest over the open end of said box-like member. The cover 13 is preferably formed of a strong, synthetic plastic material, and has printed or otherwise reproduced on its top surface 15, the topography of a typical county in an oil state. The topography on the top cover surface is divided into a plurality of squares, marked 6 through 21, which may represent land sections, and each of the sections is subdivided into sixteen subdivisions, marked 1 through 16 in each section, which represent the individual leases that can be chosen for exploration by a player, as is hereinbelow more particularly described.

Each of the subdivisions 1 through 16 of each of the sixteen sections 6 through 21 is provided with a central round opening 16 for receiving either the drill of the drilling rig 11 or one of the drill locating pegs, as is hereinbelow more fully described. As indicated at 17 in FIG. 1, the outer side walls of the box-like member 12 of the supporting structure 10 are printed or otherwise impressed with a pictorial representation in vertical section of the various earth strata as they are likely to appear in oil bearing regions.

The drilling rig 11, which is preferably fabricated by molding of a synthetic plastic material, comprises a boxlike base portion 18, securely supported upon which is an upstanding, tapered tower portion 19 of open-work beams, girders and cross members arranged to simulate the appearance of actual drilling rig towers. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, the underside of the base 18 of the rig tower is provided with a square base plate 20, integrally formed, at each corner, with downwardly-extending cylindrical pegs 21. The lateral spacing between the pegs 21 is twice that of the lateral spacing between the openings 16 in the top surface 16 of the supporting structure 10, and said pegs are of such diameter as to fit snugly in said openings. A central drill opening 22 is also provided in the base plate 20.

Means is provided for guiding and moving a drill rod 23 up and down along the central longitudinal axis of the drilling rig 11 and through the drill opening 22. To this end, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the tower portion 19 of the rig is provided with a transverse interior plate 24, fixed at about one-fourth the distance from the lower end of said tower portion and having a central opening (not illustrated) for guiding and constraining the drill rod 23 to vertical motion. Rotatably journalled on vertical journal pins 25 supported by bracket 26 secured against the top of the base portion 18 of the drilling rig 11, are a pair of back-up or thrust rollers 27, preferably of hard rubber, which abut the drill rod 23 along radii thereof separated by approximately circular degrees. (See FIGS. 5 and 6.) A hard rubber drive roller 28 secured to a journal pin 29 journalled in a bracket 30 is disposed at a position intermediate the thrust rollers 27, i.e., at a position removed from each one of them by approximately 120 circular degrees about the drill rod 23. Means is provided to press the drive roller 28 resiliently against the drill rod 23, to which end the bracket 30 is provided with a lateral guide post 31, of square cross-section, slideably received in a square opening 32 of a stanchion 33 secured to the base portion 18 of the rig. A compression spring 34 circumjacent the guide post 31 and constrained between the bracket 30 and the stanchion 33 serves to resiliently press said bracket toward the drill rod 23, to insure firm contact therewith of the drive roller. As best illustrated in FIG. 6, the rotational axis of the drive roller 28 lies in a plane parallel with the longitudinal axis of the drill rod 23, but is inclined by a few degrees to one side, whereby, as said drive roller is turned in an anticlockwise direction as illustrated in FIG. 6, a downward force component will be imparted to said drill along with the rotation thereof. A crank 35 journalled in the bracket.30 and carrying a drive gear 36 in mesh with a driven gear 37 secured to the journal pin 29 of the drive roller 28, permits manual turning of the drill 23 while simultaneously slowly lowering or raising the drill, depending upon in which direction the crank is turned.

Means is provided for locating the material carriers at various positions, selectively, within the supporting structure 10. To this end, a base plate 38 is fitted within the bottom of the box-like member 12, said base plate having a plurality of post holes 39 which, by way of example, may be arranged in vertical alignment with the central points and corner points of the squares 6 through 21" of the top corner surface 15. (See FIGS. 1 and 2.)

The material carriers, of which two of different height are illustrated in FIG. 1 and designated by reference numeral 40, are formed, preferably of molded synthetic plastic, with a head 40 having a circular, central upper portion 42, a concentric intermediate annular portion 43 of greater diameter, and a concentric lower annular portion 44 of still greater diameter, each portion of which defines a recess of corresponding shape which is filled with differently colored wax or wax-like material. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the circular upper portion 42 can, for example, be filled with a yellow wax 45, representing gas, the intermediate annular portion 43 can be filled with a black wax 46, representing oil, and the lower annular portion 44 can be filled with a white wax 47, representing salt water. The material carriers 40 are formed with integral axial stems or posts 48, of various lengths to provide oil at various depths, selectively, as well as at the various lateral locations, which posts fit selectively in any of the post holes 39 in the base plate 38.

In order to indicate the depth of a drilling operation, the drill rod 23 is provided with horizontal depth markings, as indicated at 49, which markings may take the form of color rings along the length of the rod representative of drill depth increments, say increments of 250 feet. A collar 50 is provided on the drill rod 23 above the transverse plate 24, said collar having a clamp screw 51 permitting its screwdriver adjustment along said drill for stopping vertical movement of the drill at the preselected drill depth upon said collar coming into abutment wit-h said transverse plate.

The tip of the drill rod 23 is longitudinally fluted, as indicated at 53 in FIG. 1, to provide recesses in which wax will adhere if a player is successful in reaching one of the wax materials representative of oil, gas or saltwater in a drilling operation. After a drilling operation is cornpleted, the rig 11 will simply be withdrawn, together with the drill, and the drill tip observed. Wax found on the drill can readily be wiped away prior to the next players drilling operation.

No attempt is made herein to set forth the rules under which the game can be played, since it will be apparent that the game lends itself to a wide range of rules and procedures. It is contemplated, however, that the game will be setup with respect to the number and placement of the material carriers within the supporting structure by someone other than the players actually participating in the drilling.

FIG. 8 illustrates a modification of the invention for motorized drill drive. Instead of having a driven gear, the journal pin 29 of the drive roller 28 carries a pulley mechanically connected by a belt 55 to the drive pulley 56 of an electric motor 57 having a gear reduction rotary output. The motor 57 is secured to the drilling rig 11 in any convenient manner, and is powered by a battery and controlled by a switch (not illustrated).

While I have illustrated and described herein only two forms in which the invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, these forms are given by way of example only, and not in a limiting sense. The invention, in brief, includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An oil exploration game comprising, in combination, a three-dimensional support structure having a substantially fiat upper face portion representing a prospect area, an elongated structure simulating the form of an oil drilling rig placeable at a plurality of positions, selectively, upon said upper face portion, a drill rod, mechanism for supporting said drill rod in said rig structure and including guide means constraining said drill rod to longitudinal and rotary movement with respect thereto, mechanism for simultaneously turning and longitudinally moving said drill rod with respect to said rig structure to simulate a drilling operation, means permitting said drill rod to project through said upper face portion of said support structure to reach the interior thereof when said drill rig is placed at any selected position on said upper face portion and said drill is lowered, a plurality of materials, each of a different color representative of different underground substances, and mechanism for placing said materials at a plurality of diiferent positions, selectively, within said support structure, said drill rod having on its tip means for carrying off particles of said material contacted by said drill rod in a drilling operation.

2. An oil exploration game as defined in claim 1 where in said support structure is box-like in shape and hollow, and wherein said prospect area is divided into a plurality of lease areas, and including means for removably fixing said rig structure selectively on any one of said lease areas.

3. An oil exploration game as defined in claim 2 wherein said means permitting the projection of said drill rod through said upper face portion comprises through openings in said flat upper face portion, one in each of said lease areas thereof.

4. An oil exploration game as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for removably fixing said rig structure roller being resilient and in abutment with said drill rod,

and mechanism for turning said drive roller.

6. An oil exploration game as defined in claim 5 wherein said mechanism for turning said drive roller comprises a hand crank.

7. An oil exploration game as defined in claim 5 wherein said mechanism for turning said drive roller comprises an electric motor.

8. An oil exploration game as defined in claim 2 wherein said materials placement mechanism comprises a base plate fixed within the bottom of said support structure and having a plurality of vertical, cylindrical holes, and a plurality of material carriers, each carrier having a head portion defining a plurality of trays, each tray containing a different material, and each carrier having a vertical stem support portion, the lower end of which is receivable, selectively, in one each of said cylindrical holes for supporting said carriers in upright position within said box-like structure.

9. An oil exploration game as defined in claim 8 Wherein the stems of said material carriers are of different lengths to selectively vary the elevation of said materials in said box-like structure.

10. An oil exploration game as defined in claim 9 wherein said trays in each of said material carriers are concentric, three in number, and vertically spaced from one another, the upper tray being round, and the intermediate and lower trays being annular in shape.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Kilbourn 46--39 X Gilbert 46--39 X Deaton 273135 Eichelberger 46-39 Greene 273--139 10 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN OIL EXPLORATION GAME COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A THREE-DIMENSIONAL SUPPORT STRUCTURE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT UPPER FACE PORTION REPRESENTING A PROSPECT AREA, AN ELONGATED STRUCTURE SIMULATING THE FORM OF AN OIL DRILLING RIG PLACEABLE AT A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS, SELECTIVELY, UPON SAID UPPER FACE PORTION, A DRILL ROD, MECHANISM FOR SUPPORTING SAID DRILL ROD IN SAID RIG STRUCTURE AND INCLUDING GUIDE MEANS CONSTRAINING SAID DRILL ROD TO LONGITUDINAL AND ROTARY MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO, MECHANISM FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY TURNING AND LONGITUDINALLY MOVING SAID DRILL ROD WITH RESPECT TO SAID RIG STRUCTURE TO SIMULATE A DRILLING OPERATION, MEANS PERMITTING SAID DRILL ROD TO PROJECT THROUGH SAID UPPER FACE PORTION OF SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE TO REACH THE INTERIOR THEREOF WHEN SAID DRILL RIG IS PLACED AT ANY SELECTED POSITION ON SAID UPPER FACE PORTION AND SAID DRILL IS LOWERED, A PLURALITY OF MATERIALS, EACH OF A DIFFERENT COLOR REPRESENTATIVE OF DIFFERENT UNDERGROUND SUBSTANCES, AND MECHANISM FOR PLACING SAID MATERIALS AT A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT POSITIONS, SELECTIVELY, WITHIN SAID SUPPORT STRUCTURE, SAID DRILL ROD HAVING ON ITS TIP MEANS FOR CARRYING OFF PARTICLES OF SAID MATERIAL CONTACTED BY SAID DRILL ROD IN A DRILLING OPERATION. 